Blue Jays name Gibbons manager

John Gibbons, who managed the team from 2004-08, returned as the manager Tuesday morning, the Blue Jays announced.

Gibbons takes over for John Farrell, whom the Blue Jays traded to the Boston Red Sox last month.

In his only previous major league managerial stint, Gibbons guided the Blue Jays to a 305-305 record. He was fired midway through the 2008 season with the team in last place.

Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos said previously that he wanted someone familiar with the organization and the city. Anthopolous was an assistant GM during Gibbons' last stint.

After leaving Toronto, Gibbons, 50, served as the Kansas City Royals' bench coach from 2009-11. This year, he managed Double-A San Antonio, a San Diego Padres affiliate, compiling a 60-80 record.

The Blue Jays dealt Farrell to Boston in exchange for shortstop Mike Aviles, with the Red Sox also receiving right-hander David Carpenter in the deal.

As recently as Saturday, ESPN.com reported that the Blue Jays narrowed their managerial search down to Jim Tracy and Jim Riggleman.

Tracy resigned as Colorado Rockies' manager in October after the club finished 64-98.

Riggleman most recently managed the Cincinnati Reds' Double-A affiliate in Pensacola, Fla. He stepped down as Washington Nationals' manager in the middle of the 2011 season when general manager Mike Rizzo refused to discuss a contract extension with him.

On Monday, multiple media outlets reported that former Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners manager Mike Hargrove also was in the mix for the Toronto job.

Toronto also signed free agent outfielder Melky Cabrera to a two-year, $16 million deal that became official Monday. Cabrera is coming off a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. Before his ban, Cabrera hit .346 in 113 games for the San Francisco Giants this year, and he was selected the MVP of the All-Star Game.